LSU coach Nick Saban quoted former Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes when asked about the progression of freshmen safeties LaRon Landry and Jessie Daniels.
“I hate to bring up old cliches, but Woody Hayes used to say, ‘you lose one game for every sophomore that you play,'” Saban said. “That was a long time ago when freshmen were not allowed to play. Now a freshman is considered a failure if he doesn’t play as a freshman. I guess times have changed.”
Times have changed, and Saban may be forced to play the two freshmen early in the season because of the noticeable lack of depth at the safety position.
Jack Hunt moved from his station at free safety to the strong slot and Travis Daniels will start at free, but the two names behind them are Daniels and Landry.
“They’re coming along real well,” Travis Daniels said. “They’re real mature. They know all the signals and all the calls. They’ve impressed me.”
The two freshmen said the hardest part about playing college football is learning the multiple and difficult defenses.
“We learn a lot of stuff,” Jessie Daniels said after the first week of practice. “We go out to practice every day and learn six or seven new defenses. And just when you think you know those, you have to learn six or seven more.”
Hunt said both of the freshmen have promising futures but still have a lot to learn.
“They both did real well in camp,” Hunt said. “But in camp we don’t really teach about the small changes and adjustments we have to make during the game. They may start out a step or two behind, but the game experience will really help them out. They are both really talented.”
Hunt compared Daniels to former LSU and current Philadelphia Eagles safety Norman LeJeune and said Landry will be an outstanding free safety one day.
Landry’s coach at Hahnville High School, Lou Valdin, said he was the best high school player he had ever been around. Valdin said Landry can cover anybody and hits like a tank.
“That’s his own personal opinion,” Landry said. “I just wanted to give it my all in high school and do anything I could to help the team. And now I just want to do anything I can to help contribute to this team. I try not to focus on the depth chart.”
But the depth chart has been focusing on him. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound safety made five tackles in the Tigers’ last fall scrimmage, and he and Daniels will be needed to add depth to the thin secondary.
“I’m hopeful that we can play both of those guys in some game situations that won’t be critical so that they can gain some experience early in the season,” Saban said. “I don’t think either of them are 100 percent ready to go in the game right now and be starters. But it’s our philosophy right now to try and play both guys to enhance their development.”
They get their first chance Saturday night to show Tiger fans their talent, but they both agree they have to play within themselves and the complex defense.
“I still get confused, but I’m learning,” Landry said. “I’m going to go 110 percent on every play, and if I make a mistake, at least I want to give it all my effort.”
Time can only tell if Woody Hayes was correct.